City Desk :
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is vulnerable to earthquake disasters due to spontaneous urbanization, high population density, haphazard growth of high-rise buildings, unplanned infrastructure, etc. Besides these, inadequate disaster management plans make Dhaka more vulnerable to disaster risk if a seismic tremor of magnitude 7 or over on the Richter scale occurs.
An effective earthquake disaster prevention program is required at organizational levels to minimize the risk of disaster. Bangladesh has been divided into three main earthquake zones. According to the seismic zoning of Bangladesh, Dhaka falls into Zone 2, that also includes Rajshahi, Natore, Magura, Meherpur, Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni. Here, the Chittagong-Comilla-Dhaka and Tangail areas have a possible earthquake risk of magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale.
Unsafe structures
The government of Bangladesh has developed national building codes, which include detailed guidelines for earthquake-resistant design of concrete and steel structures. However, these codes are not officially enforced. Due to the lack of effective enforcement mechanisms, it is feared that many new structures do not maintain the necessary requisites for earthquake-resistant construction. Therefore, the number of unsafe structures in Dhaka city is increasing.
Furthermore, many high-rise buildings and garment factories are being constructed in Dhaka without following the rules. Furthermore, not leaving adequate open spaces while designing buildings also increases the risk of casualties if structures collapse due to earthquakes. Besides these, a significant portion of the structures of Dhaka city have encroached upon the streets and roadways, making those infrastructures more vulnerable for passersby and commuters during earthquakes.
As a result, after a major earthquake of magnitude 7 or over on the Richter scale, these structures can collapse, block streets, hinder rescue operations, and bring the greatest devastation to Dhaka city.
High population density
The population density is very high in Dhaka city. With more than 23.9 million people, and an average of 38,000 people per square kilometer, Dhaka is one of the most crowded cities in the world. As the city is expanding quickly, many new buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure are being constructed to fulfill the needs of this big population. Geographically, Dhaka city is made of soft, wet delta soil, which makes the structures more vulnerable to earthquakes.
Some effective organizational measures to mitigate earthquake disaster risk in Dhaka city As an earthquake is a natural disaster, it cannot be prevented.
However, adequate measures at national, organizational, and individual levels can minimize the loss of lives and property. Here the organizational measures will be discussed.
Dhaka is the center of the economy and administration of Bangladesh. Therefore, Dhaka’s risk in the context of the earthquake can make the economic stability. and public administration of Bangladesh vulnerable.
Therefore, decentralization of key financial and administrative activities can minimize the damage if Dhaka faces any major earthquake.